


holding One another

by 00FFFF



Series: Out of Moonlight [4]
Category: Hermitcraft
Genre: 5 Times, 5+1, Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Non-human hermits - Freeform, but even he needs some emotional support every once and again, ren is docs emotional support furry, season 6, werewolf ren
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-28
Updated: 2020-02-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:34:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22453498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/00FFFF/pseuds/00FFFF
Summary: Doc has been on edge ever since he started working on his new raid farm. Ren takes it upon himself to take care of the green man when he doesn’t take care of himself.Or, five times Ren takes care of Doc, and one time Doc takes care of Ren.
Series: Out of Moonlight [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1652413
Comments: 32
Kudos: 190
Collections: Non-human Hermits





	1. Chapter 1

Ren spots the green man in the middle of a mess of shulker boxes. He must be looking for more supplies, he's been working on the redstone up in that contraption for days on end, after all. Each time Ren went to rest or sleep, when he woke up he would find Doc, still up there, still working, still pushing through. That couldn't be healthy.

But now he’s finally on ground level. Doc doesn't seem to have noticed him; a perfect opportunity. Ren gets into position, hiding behind some chests. His ears lay flat as he focuses on his prey and... before Doc has a chance to turn around he tackles him to the ground! 

"What the-!" Doc is caught underneath him, all kinds of redstone components drop from his grip. 

"Gotcha!" Ren laughs. He holds Doc in place skillfully, not giving him a chance to escape as he squirms around. Man, he really did get a lot stronger since the last full moon.

"Ren?" Doc stops struggling and sighs defeatedly. "Ren, I have to get back to work. The collection system…"

"Doc, Doc, Doc. When will a brilliant engineer and scientist like you learn that sleep is important to the human body?"

"You say that, but I’m not-"

"You know what I mean."

The green man gives him a halfhearted laugh. "Seriously. I'm almost done, just let me check the delays and then-" he starts moving again, trying to get free. Ren pins his arms behind his back a little tighter.

“You need some rest."

“Are you going to let me go to get to my bed, then?”

Ren chuckles. "Nope, not gonna happen, dude.”

"Then what- Am I supposed to fall asleep right here? With you on my back?"

Ren laughs. "Actually, that's not a bad idea! If that's what it takes!

Doc sighs and chuckles. "You're on. We'll see who gives in, first." 

It's not long before Doc yawns. _I knew it!_ Ren thinks. He's feeling sleepy himself, too. But he knows the man is quite persistent, and it could very well be a trick to make him _believe_ he’s asleep, only to escape when Ren loosens his grip.

But it's Ren who falls asleep first. He acquired the talent of falling asleep rather quickly, recently. Doc envied him for that.  
Doc doesn't have the heart to push the sleeping werewolf off of him. Actually, being pressured (quite literally) to do nothing for a while, feels rather nice. It's Ren's own weird way of caring about him, he supposes.

Night soon falls, and Doc finally feels the sleep kicking in. He’s long forgotten what he was even working on up in his farm. The vibrations of the snoring man on top of him are like a lullaby, warm and soothing. Doc allows himself to fall asleep to their rhythm, smiling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another fic, I know, I know. But there's so much more I'm working on, it's insane! Let me know what you thought, and stay tuned for updates!  
> TItle from 'Turn the Lights Off' by Tally Hall ;)


	2. Chapter 2

_ <Docm77 fell from a high place> _

Doc wakes up in his bed with a jolt. _For goodness’ sake! Not again!_ He rolls out of bed and makes his way over to the place where he hit the ground just a little too hard a moment ago. This was the fourth time in a week that this happened.   
He kicks at his stuff. Stupid raid farm. Stupid mobs. Stupid ground spikes throwing off his balance. Stupid off switch that doesn't even work properly.

He gathers his gear and dumps his building materials in an empty chest. He’s done building for now. He slams the lid shut, hearing the loud shatter of glass.  
 _Fuck_. Now he'd have to go out and dig even more sand! Stupid Doc, stupid sand. Stupid auto smelters that take way too long. Doc groans loudly. Why couldn't this project just be done already?

It’s starting to get dark already, as well. He's about ready to give up when Ren shows up.

"What's wrong, brother?" Ren happened to be walking past. He'd been over at the hippie commune, he says, and he could feel something was off. "It's fine." Doc says curtly, but Ren is having none of it.

Ren knows the puppy eyes he gives him are irresistible, so he forces his friend to sit down. “Come now, tell me what’s bugging you.” Doc sighs deeply, and Ren notes the dark circles under his eye. 

Doc explains about the flaws in his farm design. About how if he doesn’t kill the incoming pillagers fast enough, they start to pile up which gives a chance to evokers and witches to spawn some nasty creatures. His collection system isn’t working as fast as he’d hoped, either, but now there’s a ton of mobs up there, blocking his way back, so he can’t even begin to think about fixing it, either.   
Ren listens, letting Doc get everything off his mind. Then Doc remembers that he hasn’t turned off the switch. His eye goes wide and he starts breathing heavily. Oh god, there he goes again. Ren however grabs his hand and catches his attention.

"Tomorrow. Tomorrow we're going to fix it. Right now you are going home and getting a good night's sleep.”

“But it’s still on- It’s going to lag the server and spawn hundreds of entities and-”

“Then we’ll get out of spawn range, no problem. Right now we need you to feel better so we can tackle this problem head-on first thing in the morning. Does that sound good?”

Doc can’t lie, he could really use a break. One night not spent worrying; it sounds really good.

Doc nods, and Ren takes him over to the nearby hippie commune. Doc starts to protest, but Ren insists he stay the night here. They can share his RV.

When he lies in bed, Doc can’t deny that he doesn’t feel a whole lot better. Tomorrow Ren would help him. Heck, he’s helping him _right now_. That man had a talent for keeping him in check.   
Slaying mobs together like old times. Doc can’t wait.


	3. Chapter 3

It’s been a long night. Doc is sat at his desk, tools in hand, tinkering with his cybernetic implants. It’s hard to see with one eye, but after these modifications are done, he should be able to do so, so much more.

It’s taking longer than expected. Mobs have long since started spawning outside, their noises penetrating the walls and distracting Doc at any chance they get. Doc grows frustrated.

Ren is fast asleep in his bed, a mere seven blocks behind him.

Doc tries to keep quiet, but he can’t stop the groans of exasperation and frustration escaping his mouth. He just wants to get this over with already. Why did he ever think that working on modifications after sunset was a good idea? Doc strains his eye, the harsh light of the desk lamp flickers. Doc accidentally drops the small piece in his hand, and it bounces off the table onto the floor.

Anger completely envelops him. He gets up in a rush, bashing his hands onto the desk, sending more delicate pieces flying off. He lets out a groan, burying his head in his hands. Doc bends down to pick up the components, but hits his head on the table as he does so. He tries to keep silent, but notices that he’s awoken Ren with his episode.

Ren’s ears perk up and he cocks his head to the side. “Everything okay, my dude?” 

Doc sighs deeply and tries to compose himself. Ren shouldn’t have to see him like this.   
“I’m sorry I woke you, it’s just-” He gestures towards the table. “I was trying to upgrade my eye and. It isn’t going as smoothly as I had hoped.” Doc sits back down on his chair, slumping back. “And now it’s all on the floor and it’ll probably be at least a  _ week _ before I can see normally again.”

Ren gets out of bed and wordlessly gathers all the small bits and pieces off of the ground. It's dark, but the man doesn't seem to have any problem locating them. Doc can’t help the smile creeping up on his face. Ren seems to be adapting better than he could have ever hoped for.   
A pang of guilt shoots through his chest. Ren must have sensed this, because he turns his attention back to Doc. "Don't be like that, now." His tone is gentle. Ren squeezes his shoulder. "Let's get that eye of yours fixed, yeah?"

They stay up all night, working together. Ren’s presence has a calming effect, his soft humming like a beacon of positive energy. By the time the sun rises, Doc can see through his upgraded cybernetic eye again.   
He looks at Ren, who shoots him a content smile. They’re both very tired, Doc can tell. The idea of taking a day off from construction at his farm sounds really good right about now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a challenge to keep these scenes short, I must admit! I could write a novel if I wanted but I'd never be able to keep up with myself :') I want to make sure that what I post is up to standards c:   
> Let me know what you think of it so far!


	4. Chapter 4

He only wanted to show off his project to his friend. It was supposed to work. It was supposed to be perfect. He’s tested it countless times, each and every time improving the mechanisms to be absolutely sure that it’s safe. All that effort gone to waste, just like that. 

The mobs just kept on spawning, and there was no stopping them. The noise they caused was unbearable, it sent Doc straight into a shutdown. Overwhelmed with sensory inputs, he felt himself dissociate. The noise becoming muffled, feeling as if he’s surrounded by layers upon layers of glass. His vision going blurry, despite his newly enhanced cybernetic eye working at 110%. He doesn’t notice he’s not at his raid farm anymore until he can feel someone rubbing soothing circles on his back.

Slowly, he’s being brought back to reality. The gentle touch grounding him with every minute that passes. He feels the warmth of the arms wrapped around him, the steady breath an anchor to focus on. His fuzzy tail tickles at his fingertips. 

He notices the tears pouring from his eyes. Doc hastily wipes them away with the sleeves of his coat. Before him, he sees the warm smile of his wolf-eared friend.

“I’m- I’m sorry you had to see that.” Doc utters. He takes a deep breath, but finds that it’s still quite uneven.  
“Are you kidding me?” Ren’s tone is soft. “Don’t even worry about it, dude. You can’t help it, the farm malfunctioned, and it was too much. You’ve been on edge pretty much the whole time you’ve been working on it, haven’t you?” Ren’s words hit their mark, and more tears start to flow. Doc can’t bring himself to speak up.

“Oh, Doc... “ Ren hugs him tightly, and Doc’s tears seep into his friend’s clothes. “ ‘m sorry about your shirt.” He says. “Hey, no problem at all. Sometimes you’ve just gotta let those tears flow, and that’s okay.” Doc smiles, finally finding it within himself to hug the other hermit back.  
Ren’s embrace is strong, stronger than he would have expected. Or maybe it feels that way because Doc is tired? He doesn’t mind, either way. He focuses on the way his arms feel around him. He’s tense, Doc notes. “Are _you_ okay?”

Ren’s laugh is sincere, and it calms Doc’s nerves almost instantly. “Don’t you worry about me now, mister! Right now you’s all I care about, alright?”

That answer seems to satisfy Doc, and the man leans back against the tree Ren must have put him under. He takes a couple more steady breaths, but then suddenly jerks upright. “Wait, the farm-!” Doc tries to get up, but Ren holds him in place.

“I love you, Doc, but you need to listen to your own body. You’re in no condition to patch that mess up right now.” Doc hates to admit it, but he’s right. He can feel the exhaustion start to take hold of him. He sits back, and pats the ground to get Ren to sit next to him.

“Did... did you at least like it?” He asks hesitantly.

“Oh, it was absolutely _glorious_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Seeing your comments, thoughts, and ideas is sure to make my day!  
> I understand some may be waiting to read the entire story in full; I should have the last two chapters posted in the next two days, just before the spring semester starts :') I can't promise a regular uploading schedule when I'm back at uni, but with how many stories/ideas I've yet to post, there's sure to be plenty to work on in between lectures!


	5. Chapter 5

He doesn’t know when he started feeling like this. The days have long since turned into a blur, melting into each other as he digs through chest after chest, placing glass pane after glass pane. Slaying pillagers and double, triple, quadruple-checking his redstone, meticulously making sure that everything is in order.

Almost completely isolated from the other hermits. His only companions have been the countless of raiders he slayed when they fell down the long tunnel. Their grunts matching Doc’s at times.  
And sure, sometimes Grian or Scar would drop in and ask how he’s doing. On autopilot Doc politely asks them to leave. He’s in the zone, and would rather be left alone right now. At least, that’s what he thinks he wants.

Doc’s been buried in his project for well over a month, now. There’s an end in sight, though it is but a dot of light at the end of a dark, dark tunnel. Doc has accepted the dizziness and blurry vision as a part of his functioning. He’s accepted the fatigue in his limbs, pushing himself way past his limits each and every day. 

It’s no wonder then, that Doc finds himself waking up in his bed down on solid ground, once again having fallen off of his giant platform. He doesn’t know who or what pushed him. He might have accidentally caused it himself, if he thinks about it. 

But he doesn’t get up to get his stuff. He feels defeated. This must be the thousandth time he fell down and lost all motivation. He lays himself back down, pulling the blanket over his head. It provides little cover from the cold winds howling outside.  
Doc sobs. He curls into himself, trying his damndest to keep himself together. He has to be strong. He’s been working on his farm for ages, he can’t let himself break down _now_ .  
 _Come on, Doc. Get up. Get your stuff back. Finish this farm, you can do it-_ Tears flow down into the mattress. Doc starts crying. 

He doesn’t stop until he feels something heavy sit down onto the bed right next to him. He promptly presses his hand to his mouth, trying to keep quiet. He feels a hand pet his back through the covers.

“Hey Doc.”

The gentleness of the voice calls an ugly sob from within. Doc hates being like this. He hates feeling sorry for himself. He hates that Ren is always coming to his aid. He cries until there’s no tears left. Ren stays. Warmth radiating off of him, combatting the cold of the night.

Doc can feel himself start to doze off. Looks like exhaustion finally got a chance to catch up with him after having depleted all his tears.  
He rarely cried. He can’t remember the last time he _properly_ cried. He’s tired, feeling sleep creeping in. But he doesn’t allow it to swallow him. Doc knows that if he falls asleep now, he won’t feel better in the morning at all.

It’s quiet. Doc doesn’t know if he should appreciate or despise it.

Then Ren’s soft voice breaks the silence.  
“You’re overworked-”

“I’m _not_.” Doc’s voice sounds raspy.

“It’s okay, man. You have to take care of yourself.” Doc shuts his mouth. “I know how invested you get into your projects, I admire that about you. I really do.” Doc can feel tears burning again behind his eyelids. 

“And I know it’s hard to admit, but you’re hurting yourself. You’re hurting and you don’t even see what you’re doing to yourself. And that hurts me as well. I don’t ever want to see you sad, Doc. I care about you so, so much, and it hurts to see you destroying yourself in pursuit of this passion project. But I know how much you care about it. Please, listen to yourself. _Really listen._ ”

Doc closes his eye. He doesn’t know how to respond sincerely. He just hopes Ren understands. “I know you have a good nose, please stop using it to smell my emotions when I can’t even tell what they are.”

To his relief, Ren laughs softly.

“I just got more in tune with my nature, is all.”

Doc stays quiet. It’s all his fault.

“... Does it feel weird? Knowing what someone else is feeling?”

“It’s a blessing and a curse. But hey, if it helps me help you, then it’s worth something, right?”

Doc sighs. He supposes so, yeah. He’s glad Ren appears to be doing okay.

Then he feels Ren flop himself down on top of him. His arms are on either side of him, surrounding him with his presence. Doc doesn’t move. Something about it feels... comforting. It feels secure. It reminds Doc of that one time Ren absolutely floored him, just to get him to fall asleep. But Doc doesn’t want to fall asleep right now. He wants to bask in the comforting pressure. In the warmth seeping into him through the thin blanket. In his steady breath so close to his face.

After a couple minutes of silence, Doc works up the courage to remove the cover from his face. He sits upright, urging Ren to get up as well. Doc throws his blanket around the both of them and leans his against the other man’s shoulders.  
Ren pulls him into a hug, and Doc lets himself be enveloped completely. He doesn’t deserve him. And yet here he is. He’s always right beside him. Even when they’re on different sides, even when Doc has wronged him, Ren is always there for him.  
And Ren always makes sure that he knows.

“Thank you.” Doc whispers into his shirt. He means it when he finally says those words.

“Thank you for everything.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back to your regularly scheduled hurt/comfort :) I really appreciate you being here, seriously. Thanks so much for reading, tomorrow we'll wrap this thing up!


	6. Chapter 6

Ren wanders aimlessly around Doc’s almost-completed farm. He’s agitated, restless. His instincts telling him to _run_ and _hunt_ and on top of that he’s oh, oh so itchy.  
He doesn’t really know why he’s _here_ , of all places. Usually, when the moon was almost full, he found himself drawn to the forests, where the moonlight filtered through the trees just right, and where no other hermit could disturb him. 

And yet he’s pacing around the foot of Doc’s massive construction site, considering whether or not to climb the scaffolding. Doc must be feeling down, again, he figured. But as the man descended from his spiraling glass platform, Ren realizes that that was not the case.

“Hey, Ren. Good to see you! What brings you here?”

Ren stops dead in his tracks.  
Why _was_ he here? 

His tail wags anxiously. He feels the need to _move_ , to _run_ , to _get away_ but he’s stuck to the ground. He can’t even bring himself to speak up.

Doc must have picked up on his behavior. Brilliant man, honestly. Knows a lot about a lot of things. Mainly engineering and redstone, and though he doesn’t like to admit it, he’s emotionally quite intelligent, too.

The cyborg motions for Ren to follow him. “Come sit with me.” He nods, taking a second to kick his legs into gear. Doc sits down in front of a wall of chests, and Ren lets himself fall down onto the grass as well. He picks at some blades nervously. Where should he even begin? Doc is surely expecting him to talk, right? Did he even come here with a purpose in mind? The grass feels a little damp, it must have rained not too long ago.  
He stares intently at the ground, barely resisting the urge to claw at it, to dig through it like he always does when he needs to blow some steam. Is he angry, though? Ren can’t place his own thoughts, let alone feelings.

“What’s on your mind, buddy?” Doc breaks through the wall of fog in his mind, clearing space for him to find his words.  
Ren looks up at the night sky. It’s foggy, as well. Still, he can feel the pull of the moon. Her energy radiating through the clouds down on him. “Well, you see-” he begins. “The full moon’s tomorrow, and I guess I’m just feeling a little restless.” He slumps back against the chest.

Doc gives him a half-smile. “Is that all you’re worried about?”  
Stupid Doc and his questions that always hit the mark. Ren digs deeper through his feelings. It’s not a pleasant feeling at all. Finding all his worries, his regrets, his pain. He doesn’t want to worry Doc as well. He seems to be doing so good right now! He can’t burden his best friend with even _more_ emotional baggage. So he says, “Yeah, that’s all.”

Doc scoots a little closer. He’s calm, Ren can tell. A little concerned, perhaps.

“I know a hermit with bottled up feelings when I see one.” Doc says jokingly, but the melancholy in his tone betrays him.  
It hits a chord. Ren lets himself fall down onto Doc’s lap. The older hermit is shocked by this sudden development. but quickly relaxes. He puts his green hand onto Ren’s back, brushing calming circles.

“You’re worried about something else.”  
Ren buries his face in his arms. He wants to talk about it, but he _can’t._ _  
_“Listen, Ren. I have known you longer than today. I know you’re stubborn, and I also know that talking about it helps. You’ve done so much for me lately, it’s only fair I offer you an ear and maybe a hand when you’re obviously not feeling okay. Okay?”

Ren considers his offer. Doc keeps petting his back comfortingly. “Okay, I’ll try. But please keep doing that.” Doc snorts. “You’ve got it.”

He takes a deep breath. No time like the present.  
“Lately it’s just- How do I even explain? I feel like I have to be strong all the time. For you, for the other hermits, even for myself. Time flies so fast, and I’ve completely forgotten about the cycle of the moon and then it all happens again seemingly out of nowhere! It feels like I can’t catch a break. I know I seem really chill all the time, and that’s because I try to be. To help others become more chill, too. But then this wolf thing happened, and it made things so, so much more complicated, and I’m trying to deal with it, I am! It’s just so hard sometimes. It seems so easy but then my emotions get all wonky and my teeth sharper, and it _hurts_ , Doc. It hurts to do anything. It feels like I could burst out of my own skin at any moment. I don’t know what I’m doing anymore-”

Doc hums softly. “So you feel lost? Like you can’t catch up with what’s going around you?”

Ren thinks for a moment, tears begin to form in the corners of his eyes. “...That’s… That’s a good way of putting it, yeah. Nothing makes me happier than seeing everybody else happy, y’know? But- It’s stupid, isn’t it? That I feel like crap right before the full moon. It’s just another part of me, I suppose. I’m agitated, and anxious, and also _thrilled_ , for some reason. I can’t make sense of it all, Doc. Please help me make sense of it.”

Ren is so caught up in his own emotions, his nose stuffed from the tears, he can’t tell what Doc is feeling. Oh god, what if he resents him now- He must not want to help him at all. He’s got his own problems and own projects that need his attention. What if he hates him he can’t tell what he’s feeling he’s shaking why did he stop petting him please no-

Doc grabs Ren into a hug. Ren stiffens at the sudden contact. Was this really Doc? He hoists himself upright, allowing Doc to hug him more comfortably. His bad thoughts vanish almost instantly. Ren melts into his embrace, it’s a rare occurrence and he’s going to relish every second of it. His nose a little less stuffed, he presses his face into Doc’s coat. He smells like redstone and compassion.

Still holding him, Doc speaks up. “Do you remember the first time you transformed?”

“Yes. Oh, yes I do remember.”

“And can you see how far you’ve come since then?” Ren furrows his brows.

“Don’t you see all the progress you’ve made, dude? I’m so proud of you for going through this every time there’s a full moon! Not many people can handle it. Even if it gets to you- you’re always there for me so I will always be there for you too. Before, after, or even during the full moon. Anytime, anywhere. Whether I’m in the middle of a big project, or deep asleep. Just wake me up, no questions asked. You just come on over and I’ll do whatever it takes to help.”

Ren smiles into Doc’s shoulder, breathing in the adoration and tenderness that radiate off of the other hermit. Right now, that’s all Ren needs. The confirmation that he’s supported. That he isn’t alone, and never will be, even though it may feel like it. Ren has never felt so calm the night before a full moon.

Eventually they pull apart, sitting side by side, looking up at the stars in the night sky. Doc wraps his arm around him, scratching behind Ren’s ears. He leans into the touch, his tail starting to wag happily. 

He knows Doc isn’t one to easily initiate physical contact, so the thought that he did feels absolutely magical. Not unlike the magic of the moon that calls for him. But right now, Doc is calling for him louder.

_Bring it on_ , Ren thinks. The moon’s got nothing on him when he’s got Doc by his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No matter how hard you push yourself, sometimes you need to take a step back and take care of yourself, and that’s okay. Your friends have your back every step of the way!
> 
> Thank you for sticking with me through this self-imposed 6-day challenge! I’ve had a blast, and I’m happy with what this fic turned out to be :) I hope you enjoyed it as well~!


End file.
